DeSoto ISD Board of Trustees Establishes Goals to
Support Student Academic Achievement
DeSoto , TX-- The DeSoto Independent School District Board of Trustees serves as an oversight committee for the operations and success of its school community. In order to ensure that the actions of the Board were guided by practical and measurable targets, the Board began work to identify and establish goals and operating procedures that would serve as the compass by which to make decisions on behalf of DeSoto ISD students and families.
The process of developing the goals began in May of 2019 when the Board took part in a workshop to discuss and determine board goals. During the months of May, June and July 2019, district trustees participated in 11 meetings with various constituencies comprising the insights of more than 180 people from our community. The Board received and incorporated feedback from parents, community members and district staff with the intent to finalize these goals whose metrics were scaled out over a five-year period.
“The people who participated were very engaged, very knowledgeable about the history of DeSoto,” said Board Secretary Kathy Goad. “They gave good suggestions for how we can move forward and that is the important part. What happened in the past is in the past and it's time to move forward. That was a key focus in all the meetings--how to move forward, do things better. I feel that we have addressed the concerns of the community in that we do have a plan, we are making a plan, and we are moving forward.”
In August of 2019, the Board voted to approve four proposed goals and have since been using the identified targets as a guide by which to inform Board decisions.
Goal 1: Future Readiness: The percentage of high school students who graduate college, career and/or military ready will increase from 53 percent to 69 percent by May 2024.
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May 2020: 57%
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May 2021: 57%
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May 2022: 61%
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May 2023: 65%
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May 2024: 69%
Note: The requirements for seniors to qualify for CCMR credit changed in a way that will make it much harder to receive CCMR credit in 2021 than in 2020. Therefore, staying at 57% would elicit an actual increase given the elevated standards.
Goal 2: Early Learning Reading: Percentage of students at the Meets level on the third grade reading STAAR exam increases from 25 percent to 51 percent by May 2024.
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May 2020: 29%
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May 2021: 34%
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May 2022: 39%
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May 2023: 45%
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May 2024: 51%
Goal 3: Early Learning Math: Percentage of students at the Meets level on the third grade STAAR math exam increases from 31 percent to 53 percent by May 2024.
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May 2020: 35%
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May 2021: 39%
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May 2022: 43%
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May 2023: 48%
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May 2024: 53%
Note: In order to determine the progress targets for STAAR reading and math exam performance, a linear for each year was established before reviewing the state and district trends and combining this with an inventory of district instructional practices.
Goal 4: Individualized Growth: The percentage of students in elementary and middle school who meet their individual growth goals will increase from the district baseline measure to 80 percent by May 2024.
Note: Currently, there is no baseline data for individualized growth in DeSoto ISD. The district must first determine baseline scores and target growth. By year’s end, data will exist to extrapolate estimates for future years. District leadership will update the Board on this metric throughout the current school year as students are assessed via universal screener.
“We are making realistic goals that we think the teachers and staff will be able to accomplish because we didn’t want to set anyone up for failure yet we want to encourage staff, teachers, students and parents to help us move forward,” said Board Secretary Goad. “We are not saying we can only move five percent, we hope we exceed these goals but the focus is moving towards the same goals in the same direction.”
From these goals, the administration will work to create interim goals delineated by each academic year across the five-year scale ending in 2024.
“These goals are realistic, they are measurable, they are achievable; they are not an end to themselves. Our end goal is to be a superior district. Our end goal is for our students to be the best that any students anywhere can ever be,” said Board President Karen Daniel. “This is a first step. This is not the end and I appreciate the fact that we have goals and am sure that we will surpass the goals we have set which exceed the state’s standard for average achievement per year.”
Administration will determine leading indicators to monitor and report back to the Board throughout the year ensuring that administration’s work will align directly with the strategic priorities outlined by the current FOCUS plan which places goals and emphasis on Finance, Organizational Redesign, Campuses and Classrooms, Unity and Systems and Sustainability.